News
The Pembrokeshire Murders: The story behind the drama
JOHN COOPER cast a long shadow over Pembrokeshire from 1985 until he was eventually caught and sentenced to life in prison for his horrendous, violent crimes in 2011.
Back in 1996 I was 11, it was my first year in Milford Comp and I can vividly remember being warned to stay out of Mount Woods after the serious sexual assault that was carried out nearby.
Those warnings felt, to an 11-year-old me, very serious, even if I wasn’t given the full facts at the time, it was clear that these warnings were coming from a place of genuine concern or even fear.
Fear was a weapon that, according to the new ITV drama ‘The Pembrokeshire Murders’, Cooper, being played by Keith Allen, wielded not only against his victims, but also against his family in order to guarantee their silence and loyalty.
The new drama series, coming to ITV early next year, not only focuses on Cooper’s deplorable crimes, but also on the effects that he had on those closest to him, like his son Andrew.
I got the chance to have a chat with members of the cast and crew over Zoom. Talking to The Herald, ‘The Pembrokeshire Murders’ writer Nick Stevens said: “Andrew Cooper was left a fragile, damaged and broken man after his father’s spree.
“Andrew had lost everything and had no happiness in his life because of his bully of a father, who, of course, blamed his son for his crimes.”

Caroline Berry as Pat Cooper (L) and Oliver Ryan as Andrew Cooper (R)
His son wasn’t the only one who felt the full wrath of John Cooper’s anger though, Nick went on to speak of Cooper’s wife Pat who also lived in fear of her husband.
“One of the key moments in the series is when Andrew reaches out to his mum, he goes to see her only for her to bring up those Khaki Shorts. At that moment it becomes clear to Andrew that Pat was still a part of Cooper’s agenda.”
That agenda of fear, of lies and of violent outbursts over the years, ensured his family’s silence, but how is it possible to bring a character as intricate and as predatory as Cooper to the screen?
Executive Producer Simon Heath told me “People remember Keith from years ago but people don’t know his Welsh roots.
“There’s a specific accent that Keith delivers perfectly that gives him the quiet menace that Cooper needed. When he unleashes his anger you can see the terror he inflicted on those around him.”
I asked Keith what worried him the most about taking on the role of Cooper: “I was worried about my accent” said Keith “I used to work in Tenby running boats during the summer, so I went back there on a Sunday and just sat in pubs listening to people talk but they were full of Mancs, Scousers and people from Birmingham watching Sky Sports!”

Keith Allen as John Cooper
“So what I did was drive out to Cooper’s village and walk around the area, then I went back to Tenby and that got me in the groove.”
“My trigger (for getting into character) was how he says ‘scuba diving’ from the Bullseye footage.
“I saw that and I thought ‘Oh my god, there’s a guy who will kill a couple one month later’ and you can see he’s not a very nice person, he imposes himself on his playing partner and he doesn’t enjoy being on that show.
“When he misses you can see the fury in his eyes and I’ve often thought that if he scored 180 on Bullseye that maybe they (the Dixons) would still be alive.”
Putting yourself in the mindset of a psychopath must be one of the weirdest experiences possible, Keith told me: “When you’re playing a real person, you can’t take your eye off the ball. But I’m a bone idle actor, I’m not the type of actor to be affected, but when you’re playing a real person, who did these terrible things, you do end up taking that character home with you.
“I’ve never met him but I think I’ve seen enough of him, when you know what he did you can watch him lying on the police tapes and it’s fascinating.”

Operation Ottawa: the team that cracked the case in the new ITV drama
But Cooper isn’t the sole focus of the new ITV series, we’re also going to see the herculean efforts put in by members of Dyfed-Powys Police to secure a conviction, leading the investigation at the time was Steve Wilkins who is being played by ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘Beauty and the Beast’ star Luke Evans who relished the chance to work on home soil with ‘The Pembrokeshire Murders’.
Luke told The Herald: “It was wonderful, I miss being home very much. I have such a close connection to Wales and it was lovely to be surrounded by authentic Welsh people, rich accents and wonderful characters.”
When asked about working around the stunning Pembrokeshire coast, Luke told The Herald “It’s just a magnificent place to be at anytime of the year, the juxtaposition of these terrible things alongside the dramatic coastline is incredible.”
‘The Pembrokeshire Murders’ finished production just days before the first COVID-19 lockdown was announced, Luke told me: “We finished production on March 13th 2020 and within 4 days we were in lockdown. We were lucky to get the chance to make this and even luckier to get it finished before lockdown.”
My last question for them was about the victims, did they feel a responsibility to those that were so awfully affected by Cooper’s reign of fear, to which Alexandria Riley, who’s playing Ella Richards, said: “We never forgot that this drama is based on real life, we were so aware that we had a responsibility to do it right. Everyone involved took that responsibility on their shoulders, to be sensitive to those affected by Cooper.
“We filmed close to where those events took place and it kept you focussed on being respectful.”
Keith Allen summed it up too, saying: “I think the program itself answers that question, I’ve seen it and what I like about it is there’s no weird lighting or effects, it’s realistic and in your face.
“It makes you think ‘God, is that what these people went through?’. When the people involved see this, hopefully they’ll think ‘good, now the world knows what we went through’.”
‘The Pembrokeshire Murders’ will air on three consecutive nights (January 11, 12 and 13) on ITV and we’ll definitely be tuning in.
Crime
Tenby pub encounter led to lockdown rape, court hears
A London visitor carried out a serious sexual attack during a family holiday in Pembrokeshire
A LONDON man who raped a woman in a Tenby alleyway during the Covid lockdown period has been jailed for eight and a half years.
Nicholas Mitchell, aged 60, had travelled to the seaside town from Bromley with his daughters in May 2021, as pandemic restrictions were beginning to ease. While out drinking, he struck up a conversation with a woman in a local pub.

Later that night, the court heard, Mitchell followed her into a narrow alleyway, where he subjected her to a serious sexual assault before raping her. He then left the area, abandoning the woman in a state of shock and distress.
Police were alerted and an investigation led to Mitchell’s arrest. He denied any wrongdoing, but a jury convicted him in November of two counts of rape and one count of assault by penetration.
During sentencing at Swansea Crown Court, prosecutor Ian Wright read a victim impact statement in which the woman described the profound effect the attack had on her life. She said she became withdrawn and struggled to leave her home, describing feelings of loneliness, numbness and depression. She told the court the incident had left lasting damage and prevented her from moving forward.
Mitchell was represented by defence barrister James Hartson, who said his client continued to protest his innocence but understood the court was bound by the jury’s findings. He said character references portrayed Mitchell as supportive and hard-working, and argued the offending was entirely out of character.
The defence also drew attention to a delay of more than three years between Mitchell’s arrest and formal charging, describing it as deeply unsatisfactory for all involved.
Sentencing, Judge Huw Rees rejected any suggestion the offending was momentary or accidental. He said Mitchell had deliberately targeted the victim and carried out a violent and degrading attack before walking away without concern for her welfare.
Addressing the defendant, the judge said alcohol was no excuse, describing the assault as driven by sexual entitlement and calling Mitchell’s actions wicked.
Mitchell will serve two-thirds of his sentence in custody before being released on licence. He will remain on the sex offenders’ register for life.
The court was told Mitchell has a previous conviction for assaulting a police officer in October 2020, following an incident linked to a domestic dispute with his estranged wife.
Crime
Ex-Scout leader jailed over historic sexual abuse of two children
Abuse carried out in Pembrokeshire and Newport between 1997 and 2002
A MAN who abused two children while working as a Scout leader has been sentenced to prison for historic sexual offences carried out in Pembrokeshire and east Wales.
Paul Skilton, 68, of Llangwm, was convicted at Newport Crown Court of five sexual offences following a jury trial. The offences included two counts of indecency with a child and three counts of indecent assault.
The court heard that the abuse took place between 1997 and 2002, when Skilton was aged in his forties. Two children were targeted, with incidents occurring at locations in Pembrokeshire and in Newport, Gwent.
The prosecution said Skilton forced a young girl to touch his penis and then pressed himself against her. In a separate incident involving a boy, he reached inside the child’s clothing and touched his buttocks.
Prosecutor Nick Gedge read statements from both victims. The female victim said the abuse had damaged her ability to trust men. The male victim described long-term harm to his mental health and said the abuse had affected the course of his life.
Defending, Ruth Smith told the court that mitigation was limited because Skilton continued to deny the offences despite the jury’s verdict. She said he had no previous convictions and had otherwise led a law-abiding life.
Ms Smith also said Skilton had been actively involved in Scouting for many years and that no earlier allegations had been made against him. She added that his poor physical health would make custody particularly difficult.
Recorder Paul Hartley-Davies said sentencing was constrained by the law in force at the time the offences were committed.
Skilton was sentenced to a total of four years and six months in prison.
He was ordered to sign the sex offenders register and made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years. Both victims were granted restraining orders preventing any contact.
Skilton was acquitted of six further charges relating to similar allegations.
Community
Special delivery of thanks as MP visits Haverfordwest sorting office
Christmas cheer for posties working through the festive rush
A CHRISTMAS message of thanks was delivered in person this week as Preseli Pembrokeshire MP Henry Tufnell paid a visit to Royal Mail staff at Haverfordwest Sorting Office.
The MP met postal workers during one of the busiest periods of the year, praising staff for their hard work in ensuring cards, parcels and gifts reach homes across Pembrokeshire in the run-up to Christmas.
Mr Tufnell said postal workers were going “above and beyond” throughout the year, but particularly during the festive period when demand is at its highest and delivery rounds are often made in challenging weather conditions.
He described postal staff as “unsung heroes”, highlighting their role in keeping communities connected and helping families stay in touch at a time when it matters most.
Speaking after the visit, Mr Tufnell said: “Our posties play a vital role in our community, and at Christmas that importance is felt more than ever. They work incredibly hard to make sure gifts and cards from loved ones arrive safely and on time.”
Staff at the Haverfordwest site were pictured alongside the MP, with some embracing the festive spirit in Christmas jumpers and seasonal outfits while continuing their daily work.
The MP also extended his thanks to postal workers across the whole of Pembrokeshire, acknowledging the dedication required to keep services running smoothly during the seasonal rush.
Royal Mail experiences its highest parcel volumes in December, with thousands of additional items passing through local sorting offices each day as Christmas approaches.
Delivering Christmas cheer: Henry Tufnell MP with staff at Haverfordwest Sorting Office during a festive visit (Pic: Facebook).
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